


Recollection

by Radiant_Shooketh



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Betrayal, Gen, Mention of the Nightmare Heart, Nightmare King Grimm - Freeform, Post - Banish the Grimm Troupe ending, The Grimm Troupe DLC (Hollow Knight)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-28
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:02:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22448362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Radiant_Shooketh/pseuds/Radiant_Shooketh
Summary: Nymm loses his memories after he and the Knight banish the Grimm Troupe, but a certain someone comes to visit him through dream. (or nightmare in this instant)
Relationships: Elderbug & Nymm (Hollow Knight), Nymm & Grimm (Hollow Knight), Nymm & The Knight (Hollow Knight)
Kudos: 37





	Recollection

Nymm doesn't remember how he arrived in this small fading town in the middle of nowhere. In fact, he doesn’t remember much at all. He remembers standing near one of the shops, holding his accordion before being greeted by the Elderbug of the town. He doesn’t recall how he got to the town, or where he's from. Strange, it was difficult recalling his own name, but he was sure he knew, sort of. 

In a way. 

After the Elderbug got him settled in town with a small house and everything, Nymm decided to stay outside and play his accordion. This town was quite dreary and lonely, nothing but the sound of faint winds, save for the loud talking from one of the local bugs. The town barely had life in it, and it made Nymm quite sad. To liven up the place a bit, he thought of playing a happy little tune on his instrument. While Elderbug stood nearby, Nymm played his accordion until someone came approaching him. They looked like a small bug with a white shell and cape, and they wielded a nail that was attached onto their back. He gave them a friendly smile.

“Ah. Hello! Hello! I'm new around these parts, so it's marvelous to see so friendly a face, in such a sad town. The old bug over there was very welcoming, but still I find the place a little melancholy, what with the wind, and the darkness, and the sense of decline... I was hoping my music could go some way to livening up the place. And now you've arrived with that wonderful, charming aura about you. The whole town feels brighter for it.” Nymm’s face lit up, suddenly remembering something. He looked into his pocket and pulled out a small charm. “Before you hurry about your business, I've a small gift to commemorate a wonderful new friendship. No use for it myself, but I believe it'd look rather fancy upon you. Please, enjoy it, and let's hope to see much more of one another about town.”

Nymm watched as the bug silently made their way to the bench beside him and put the charm on. They came back to him, looking up expectantly as if waiting for some kind of reaction out of him. It was a positive reaction from him indeed.

“Ahh. Just marvelous! I'm so glad you'd consider my gift worth wearing, and my, my, it does suit you well.” He looked at the charm again and sighed, still playing his song on the accordion. “To be honest, I'm not even sure where I came upon it, but staring at its design, my memory stirs, something, and someone, forgotten, lost far away. The specifics elude me, but a strange sense remains, fear, but also... longing? Like a strange nostalgia for something that never happened.” 

Nymm did feel that emptiness coming from within as he stared at the charm. Something about it was faintly reminding him of something. That mask… it looked very familiar. He closed his eyes for a moment. A past life, perhaps? Did he wear that mask? Why on earth would he have a charm about himself on him? Was that even him? Nymm was unsure how to react. Where that charm came from was the biggest mystery to him. And seeing how there was no use in him having it, he decided to give it to the small bug. To the start of a new friendship! 

He waved his hand dismissively as the small bug looked at him, almost in concern when he didn’t speak for a long time. “I've no need for it in any case, so I'm glad you're enjoying it.” He resumed smiling and played on his instrument with more enthusiasm. “My dear friend, are you enjoying my music? It's as upbeat a tune as I know, but I must admit, even it falls a little on the sadder side. Please know I play it with joy. Being in this town, beside such good company as yourself, I feel remarkably, refreshingly content.” 

After a while, the little bug disappeared. Nymm was just glad that they decided to keep the charm on. Despite not knowing where he came from or how he came to Dirtmouth, he was glad to meet such friendly bugs here. The Elderbug, the couple who owned a shop, a small bug who was also a shopkeeper, and even that annoying bug who keeps talking his shell off about how great he was to this other bug, who was listening intently. The town felt less empty. He played on his accordion some more. 

Later that evening, Nymm settled into his new house here in town. The Elderbug was very welcoming and kind and helped Nymm with settling into Dirtmouth as one of its residents. He picked an empty house for Nymm and helped him buy some furniture. What a considerate bug he was! So finally Nymm could relax in his new home. He settled on the couch and put his accordion down. He sat on the couch and started pondering. That mask looked very strange, yet familiar. Like, something was missing in Nymm’s life. Something empty settled inside of him. It felt like he had left a life behind, and started a new one. But, was he happy with this life? Something felt off. 

It was finally time to go to bed, so Nymm went into his new bedroom and settled on the comfy bed. Closing his eyes, he quickly drifted off. He was very sleepy, for some reason. He fell asleep within a few minutes and before he knew it, he was entering the world of dreams. Except this one was a little weird. In this dream, it was nothing but red wherever Nymm walked. Nothing but red so he kept walking. He appeared to be inside this tent? Why a tent? He walked closer to this open room, very aware of the sounds of a beating heart somewhere. When he finally was at the centre of the room, there was indeed a giant scarlet heart thumping at the back. There were these patchwork of veins that connected from the heart to the floor of the tent. It was unsettling, to say the least.

The heart opened its eyes (???) Nymm thought in confusion and at the centre of it, it opened up and someone came out from it and fire spewed everywhere. The figure emerged from the heart, and they looked fearsome. Giant red horns, red hot cape, very tall and daunting, and those gleaming scarlet eyes looked back at him. It looked like they were glaring at him. Nymm gulped, but summoned up his courage. 

“Who are you?”

“Hello, my dear friend. Long time no see, Brumm.” Their voice held a certain bitterness in it. Nymm blinked in confusion. 

“Um, sorry. Do I know you? I’m sorry, my memory has been rather hazy lately. And who’s Brumm? My name is Nymm, by the way… Nice to meet you.” Nymm stuck his hand out and Grimm looked at him in astonishment. 

“How dare you pretend to know who I am!” He hissed as he stood up taller than he already was somehow and leered over the tiny Nymm, steam coming out from his mouth. His claws clenched up in anger.

“I’m serious, sir. I really do not recall you. In fact, I don’t really recall anything since I arrived in this strange town,” Nymm explained. He looked down, feeling a certain sadness despite the fear he felt at this stranger. “But in a way, I will admit that you do look somewhat familiar. Your mask… It looked exactly like my-” and then he stopped himself, and sighed sadly. 

Grimm calmed down and looked at Nymm. “You really do not remember who I am?”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t.” Nymm said as he shook his head. “And if I did know you from before, then I’m sorry I do not recall who you are. Because while I don’t think I’ve ever met you, I feel like somehow I did. In the past, maybe? Your mask is very familiar, sir. The design… Somehow, it is reminding me of something I lost. Something that I am not quite sure of.” 

Grimm sighed deeply. Even though it was obvious that it was Brumm who ultimately was the ringleader for the banishment of the troupe, and he somehow got to convince the Vessel in participating in such an act of blasphemy, he couldn't be mad at them. The Vessel had no idea what they were doing, but Brumm… He didn’t know why Brumm would be traitorous, but there had to be some logical explanation. Grimm bowed his head.

“I’m sorry if we got off on the wrong foot then, my friend. My name is Grimm.”

Something about that name was also somewhat familiar to Nymm, but didn’t say anything about that.

“Nice to meet you, sir!” Nymm chirped. 

“... Nymm, may I ask you a question?” Grimm asked. 

“Of course!”

The two sat down. Nymm was starting to feel more comfortable around this Grimm. They certainly looked scary at first. But he was actually a pretty decent individual, whoever they were or where they came from.

“Say your friends had to participate in a sacred ritual in order for them to sustain the life of some Higher Being, would you stop your friends in sacrificing their life for that Higher Being or would you let it play out, like it was supposed to?” He watched as Nymm blinked, thinking hard about the question.

“That is oddly specific sir, but I’d try to stop my friends. Their life is more important than that of some Higher Being. They mean the world to me, so I’d do anything for them to be happy, and to live a proper life. Not being enslaved to some god, you know? That does not sound fun, an eternity of servitude. That’s eternal suffering in my opinion, Grimm. What do you think?”

It was Grimm’s turn to look bewildered. He closed his eyes. 

“Thank you for your insight, Nymm. That notion does indeed sound very interesting.” So that’s why Brumm had done it. It saddened him, seeing him betrayed by his own friend, but whose intentions were actually good. But by not providing for the Heart, the troupe might perish. So if anything, Brumm may have doomed the entire troupe if they don’t find a Lantern to be lit soon enough. He thought about his own child, who hasn’t properly grown up. If they do not find flames soon, this child would have a short life.

“Are you okay, Grimm?” Nymm asked him in concern. Grimm faked a smile. He was saddened by the betrayal but ultimately, he was going to miss Brumm. His music, his humour, his mysteriousness. But the truth, it hurt very much to be stabbed in the back by someone who you thought you could trust. Even if they meant well… 

“I’m fine, Nymm. I believe our time is up, though. Farewell, my friend. It was a pleasure meeting you.”   
  
“Wait, where are you going?” 

“Somewhere far from here, friend.”

Nymm woke up in his bed, feeling very confused yet sad and alone. Somehow, it felt like he knew this Grimm. Their mask was very familiar looking and it felt like he had done something terrible to him somehow. Even though they never met, it felt like they had. It felt like he met an old friend and Nymm felt something of nostalgia and sadness. 

What did he do? 

**Author's Note:**

> "Hmm...Why did I choose to travel here? And how far must I have come... to forget the origin entirely."  
> -Nymm


End file.
